The fifth annual Iowa Family Business Conference will feature Dave and Ryan Austad, father-and-son leaders of Austad’s Golf, as lunchtime keynote speakers. They will cover topics of succession, resilience and legacy. As stewards of a third-generation family enterprise, the Austads will share how they’ve weathered conflict and crisis, redefined leadership…
Dasia Taylor and NERD STEM Box won first place and $3,500 at the University of Iowa John Pappajohn Entrepreneurial Center (Iowa JPEC) Startup Incubator Summer Track Demo Day on Aug. 7 at MERGE Iowa City. NERD STEM Box is a hands-on STEM education learning tool, used in homes or classrooms….
Bison Equity Group, a private equity firm, is relocating its office from 31st Street and Ingersoll Avenue to the 801 Grand Principal building, said Steve Walsh, founder and CEO. The move is expected to be complete by September, he said. It is inspired by Walsh’s belief that “downtown is ready to take…
Business Horizons, a program of the Iowa Association of Business and Industry Foundation, concluded on July 17 at Drake University. The program for high school students brought together students from across Iowa develop, refine and pitch original business ventures. Each team invented their own business or product designed to benefit high school…
NewBoCo, a nonprofit headquartered in Cedar Rapids offering entrepreneurship and tech education programming, recently announced a partnership with Iowa State University for the Future City event. The event is a STEM competition for middle school students to research, design and build future cities that showcase their solution to a citywide sustainability issue. The…
Nominations for the Technology Association of Iowa’s Prometheus Awards are open now through Aug. 7. For 20 years, the Prometheus Awards have honored the people and companies powering Iowa’s tech industry. Awards span 15 categories and recognize excellence in AI, UX, data, manufacturing and more. Finalists will be announced in…
InnoVenture Iowa and gener8tor are hosting a Momentum Mixer to showcase Iowa’s early-stage startups on Aug. 6 from 3:30-5:30 p.m. The event will start with a workshop for founders, followed by pitches from select startups with feedback and a happy hour. Applications to pitch at the event are open now. The…
The Iowa Economic Development Authority board awarded July 18 funding to three Iowa startups based in Ames, Des Moines and Urbandale. Ames-based NarrateAR Inc. was awarded a $50,000 Proof of Commercial Relevance (POCR) loan for product refinement, key personnel and market planning and entry activities. The company has created a…
On Aug. 12, U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst, chair of the Senate committee on small business and entrepreneurship, is hosting her third Entrepreneur Expo in Ames. The expo will be held from noon to 4:30 p.m. at Iowa State University’s Memorial Union, 229 Lincoln Way, Ames. The Entrepreneur Expo is an…
Iowa State University grew total external funding for fiscal year 2025 to $549.3 million, an increase of $4.7 million over the previous fiscal year. University researchers also attracted $329.9 million over the fiscal year that ended June 30, the second-highest behind the $346.2 million researchers attracted the previous fiscal year….